Ada is the solo project of German DJ and producer Michaela Dippel, who is originally from Friedberg, Germany and is based in Hamburg. She is also associated with Cologne Tape.

Background

Dippel begins her career as a singer in a rock band in 1994. As that group gradually adds synthesizers and samplers, she develops an interest in electronic music and later moves from Friedberg to Cologne, where friends have already relocated. She has also played in several bands before taking up the Ada name.

Early releases and label work

Before releasing her own productions, she receives attention for remix work and makes her vocal debut in mainstream music on Metope’s Livedriver. A few months later, she issues her first production 12-inch on Cologne’s Areal label, followed by a second and third single, as well as tracks on compilations and split-artist releases. Her connection with Areal remains important in this period, and the label also releases her debut release Blindhouse.

Style and key recordings

Ada’s music is described across electronic styles including melodic techno, electropop, techno, house and deep house. Her first full-length album, Blondie, appears in 2004 and brings together synth-pop, techno and house. The album includes covers of Everything But the Girl and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, which help draw attention beyond dance-music audiences. Tracks mentioned from the album include “Each And Everyone (Blindhouse-Mix),” “Our Love Never Dies,” “The Red Shoes,” “Livedriver” and the opener “Eve.”

Mixes and wider profile

Appearances on mix albums associated with Triple R, Tyrant and Erlend Øye also raise her profile. Her work is characterised by a balance between pop structure and techno-based production, with a strong use of analogue tools and a warm, retro-leaning sound.

Name origin

The name Ada comes from a horror audiobook about a house of blind zombies. In that story, the warden responsible for the zombies is called Ada, and the name becomes the basis for Dippel’s project title.

Other artists using the name

Several other acts have used the name Ada, including a dream-pop group and an Ontario rock band, but the German artist Ada is the project centred on Michaela Dippel.